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Writer's pictureMelanie Briony

Calm the Chaos: How Breathwork Can Help You Manage Stress and Overcome Rumination

Rumination & Breathwork - How Can It Help?

I am sure you've had days where your head won't stop spinning with thoughts, and you can't seem to get anything done. Every thought that you don't want is right there, and every thought that you need evades you.


Welcome to the world of rumination, where the logical, decision-making part of your brain goes offline, leaving the reactionary, unconscious part of you to take over.


Your Unconscious Processes

Your unconscious processes are a part of you that is designed to help you survive and thrive in the world. I know it doesn't feel this way at times, but this part of you loves you very much and is doing its best to get you through what it perceives to be a potentially life-threatening situation.


You may have had an argument with your boss, a narrow miss in your car, or have a uni assignment due—your unconscious processes can't tell the difference. All this part of you knows is that you are in some kind of danger because your heart rate and blood pressure are elevated, you are sweating more than normal, and your breathing is erratic. You may not even notice these changes in your body, but your unconscious processes do, and this part of you is doing its best to let you know through feelings and sensations in your body.


Dark grey image with writing that says "you can't think your way out of bad feelings.

Bringing About Change

When you begin to notice what is happening on the inside, you can use your conscious processes to change something in your environment to change how you are feeling.


In all of these cases, one of the most powerful changes you can make to change how you feeling, is changing your breathing. As I mentioned earlier, when your unconscious self perceives a threat, it automatically elevates blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate, ready to take action. This preparedness to take action increases feelings of stress within your body. By making a conscious choice to regulate your breathing, you will begin to reduce your heart rate and blood pressure, and as a result, reduce the internal feelings of stress and anxiety.


Safety Matters In Breathwork Too

You see, breathwork isn't just some passing fad or a way to explosively release trauma. Breathwork is one of the most powerful and gentle self-care tools we have available to us, any time we need it.


Breathwork Workshop - November

I am leading a breathwork workshop in Redhead on the 3rd of November, where you will learn all about your conscious and unconscious processes and how you can build a deeper, more harmonious, and compassionate relationship between these two essential parts of yourself. You can learn more about this event HERE or you can send me a message.


Breathwork does not need to be intense and loud to be powerful. Gentle, considered, and focused breathwork can bring about profound and positive change, one gentle and thoughtful breath at a time.


Melanie Briony - Facilitator & Coach Logo





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